Automatic car and train-pipe coupling.



C. H. TQMMNSUN. AUTOMATIC GAB. AND TRAXN HPB COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED NOVZS, 1011.

Panted Ap?. 28, 1914.

0 SHEETS-SHEET l.

C, H. Telbiium. AUTOMATIC CAR AND TRAIN P PE GQUPLNG.

A PPLICATON ULEB NOV. 8, 1911,

adapted to engage with .the corresponding portion of a similar hook shaped coupling device on another coupler head. rEhe hook shaped coupling device l2 is provided with a vrearwardly extending rearward end of which within the housing of the coupler head. is pivctally connected thereto by pin 13 passing through the housing. A Hat spring 14 is secured in the heusin i preferably by in, as indicated at l5.

s sprin is prey erably supported for a portion of its length adjacent the pin 15 by the wallof the housing, and has its free end in engagement with the pivoted coupling device 12, and normally tends to force the hook portion of the co ling device 12 toward the center or axialiin'e of the housing. The coupler head or housing 10, it will be understood, forms the forward extremity of a pivthe cou led position.` The d) cilitate y the coupling against the action of the 'oted draw-bar connected with the car at its rear extremity in a manner that is `common and will be readily understood by reference to in prior U. S. Patent No. 814,924, granted arch 13th, 1906, of which thepresent invention is an improvement. The coupling device 12 is permitted to move Within the limits of the housingon pivot. pin 13 under the control'of Hat spring 14 and cam 17 pivoted in the housing on pin 18 under the control of the cam lever 16, which latter is fixed, to cam 17 within the housing and eX- tends to the exterior of the'coupler head through'the slot 10b in the wall thereof. The lever 16 is provided with suitable means for operating it, as for example, the chain 29. Although a chain 29 is illustrated, it isevident that any suitable eXible device may be employedl for this uipose, and may beentended to enable t e operator to grasp the same without entering between the cars. The cani 17 is provided With two cain arms 19-20, the former of Whichis adapted to contact withl a rolling action on the shank of the-coupling 'device 12- within` itsl own housing to operate the coupling device 12 on its pivot pin'l'away from the center or axial line of the coupler head and flat spring 14. The cam arm 2O on cam 17 is formed to press on the beveled point of the hookedI coupling device of the, companion coupler when in ange face 10' of the coupler head or housing is adaptedto coperatie with the siinilarppartof` a companion coupler when in the coupled position, and in order to facompanion rvcouplers together pins 21, of which' there are preferably two or more, are beveled or pointed and secured to the face of the flange 10, being adapted to enter corresponding counter-sunk holes 22 of the c'onipamon coupler. v Two air connections are shown, being placed in n vertical plane on the center line shank, the extreme l through the housing and -terposed gasket 27,

devices in holding the oi the coupler. of these connections are shown in ,the en- The details of construction`A larged section view in Fig, et, and inthe sec-r i which opens both to r n, and rear, opening ie'nze character opening at the rear to permit the rearwardly extending threaded end ci" sleeve .24e to pass riorily threaded forward end of the elbow 26, which is adapted to be connected with vtrain pipes 4:0, of which, 1as stated, there aretwo. An air and sleeve' 24 is secured by reason of the iiimounted within the housing 28 and through the opening at the rear thereof, and is provided with an enlargement at ,its ,forward Sleeve 2st is slida'oly i tight joint between elboiiT I.

extremity which is substantially -flushwithq'- the vflanged face 10iL and provided fin-its iii- 1 terior with an annular groove adapted to;

furnish a seat for the circular air pipe lgasa` het of rubber or other suitable material which is'indicated by the referencechar-A actor 23.

A spring, indicated bythe reference chan acter 25, surrounds the terior 32 of the housing sleeve 24` on the in,- 2S, and is seated at one end on the lenlarged end of the sleeve 30. and at the other end against the rear -wall of the housing 25. This spring, by normally exerting its action between the wall .of the housing and the enlarged end oi' sleeve. 3Q,

holds the forward end of the elbow 26` against the outside wall. o the housing 2 8, and when in this position the front -face the gasket 23 projects beyond the face oithe .ico

flange 1021 of the coupler head or liousi-ng.' iw The spring 25 is given sufficient compression f to force the sleeve and the gasket thereon outwardly to causait to make an airy-tight joint With another gasket on a companion coupler brought into contact with ity The center 'opening of the coupler hea-dr is ared outwardly or 'toward the coif'npaniony coupling device with which it isadapted to coperate on both theupper position of the* coupling posite the normal housing, such vdared por-v device witliin the assist the coupling andlower sides of the opening at the side of theopening opheads are lnot in alinement. A hole exterch ing vertically through both the upper and the lower Walls of the housing of the coupler head opposite the flared portions 38 is indicated at 36, the same being adapted to receive a coupler pin of the ordinary form when coupling with a coupler of another design, as, for example, With-acar fitted isc i with the ordinary coupler bar or link prf titl vided with holes near the ends thereof.

The operation of the device is as t'ollows 1' lVhen two couplers are brought togetherl the points of the coupling devices 1Q. indicated by the reference. character 123, will each enter the enlarged beveled opening 33 in the housing of the opposite coupler head, and when they have entered to about the distance shown in dotted lines in Figs.. 5 and G. the coupler heads will he forced into approximate aliiieinent due to the fact that thetop and bottom .of t he coupling devices extending backward from the points 1Q;L arel parallel. and as soon as the parallel portionenters the housing the contact with tbe beveled top and bottoni sides 33 ofthe opening in the heads will partiallyfaline them and t limit vertical movementof the heads with respect to each other.

each of the coupling devices register` forci ing the coupling devices outwardly against the pressurel of the springs 14. At this stage The beveled co'ip- `era-ting faces ot theeoupliiig devices 12 are indicated by the reference character 12" and in the coupling operation the coupling det vices will remain stationary with respect to lateral movement in the housings in each otl their respective coupler heads until the .surq

Vfaces 1Q shall have moved past each other when the coupling devices. under the action ot their respective spriiigs 14. "will engage When the coupler heads have each other. approached each other to the point where the parallel surfaces 12c on the coupling devices'are in engagement. the beveled points ot the pins 21 will bc in position toentcr the holes QQ which have been brought into approximate alincmcnt b v the beveled coupling devices. As the couplerheadsinovetoward each other and juust before the flanges" 1Qf come. into contachthe. air connection gaskets 9? will be forced together and pressed back into the housing Q8 against thoactionot Vhen. the flanges 10 have been 'brought into contact the coupling"devices1Q Air pressureanay now be lt will be seen that the. fum-tions ot pins "21 and their cooperating recesses in the companion coupler head is to tinally aline bothl "vertically and laterally the coupler heads just. before the air base gaskets come in cont: rt with each other and prevent any rela- ,ti e vertical oi lateral movement of the gas?, ttets in relation to each other. and the interlocking of the coupling devices 1Q prevents huigitudinal movement between the. cou- 'javill become interlocked. due to the pressure lotE the springs '14. which will lock the conlplers togetl'ier. ,turned into the line.

under control since' any reduction in the pressure in the train pipe, on automatic air brake systems in common use will 4set the brakes.

In uncoupling it is necessary to pull chain 29 on one coupler only, which maybelar.- ranged conveniently accessible at any point from between the cars. The roc-king of the lever 16 on axial pin 18 will rock the cam 17. which will force the coupling devices 1Q` apart against the action of springs 14 and render the couplers free to separate and open the air connection.` When the conplers are thus uncoupled and the pull ofthe chain Q9 released. springs 14 return the coupling devices 12. cam 17 and lever 16y to their normal uncoupled positions. and the couplers are reset automaticalli1 and *ready to be coupled.

lVhen it is desired or necessary to couple with other makes ot couplers. the coupling devices 1Q may be pulled to one side to perinit the other coupler to comer in contact. with the tace l041 and a coupler bar orlinlvhaving a pin hole near the end may he inserted within the housing l() and a coupling nin dropped through the registering holes- 36 oithe housing'and the hole in the yceupling bar or link.

While l have shown the details of the pre'- terred einbmlinient ot the invention, it is apparent'. that various modifications may be made in the construction. combination and arrangement. ot' the several parts.b v those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and' scope ot' my invention. and it is not desired to be liniitcd to the exactV details shown. f

l claim: v i

1. Tn a car coupler the combination with ino companion coupler heads, ot coupling devt'aees ot the coupler heads indcpendenbto said coupling devices for interlocking ai coupler 'heads to prevent relative vertical and lateral movement when coupled'* and jiist. prior to the interlocking of said co'upling devices in the coupling relation, 'and fluid connections having terminals i-n the eooperating 'taees ot the said coupler heads. i

said connections being adapted to form fluid tight joints with each other.

Y 2. ln car and trainpipe couplers. the combination with coupler heads having interlocking coupling devices projecting from the adjacent faces thereof, of coj'ieratingv projections and intersections on the said afl- I 36 tight joint with a similar air connection on jacent faces, the said coupling devices being 4adapted tog'uide said projections and in tersections into engagement? and the said Iprojections epd intersections being adapted 5 to yaline'the said coupler heads before the adjacent faces meet, and iuid connections l on the coupler heads adapted to form a l 'Huid tight joint when coupled. j I '3. In car and train pipe couplers, the com j 1,0 biimtion of coupler heads ha ving counterlpart'` projections and intersections on the Afaces thereof to prevent relative f ym'tical and lateral movement, projecting V nte'rlocking coupling devices to prevent lon- 115V; itudinal movement and eline the couplerfads before the adjacent -es meet and @before the said counterpart projections and 'intersections coperate, and air connection' on each coupler head adapted to form G an air-tight joint with. a similar air connection on its companion coupier head. 4. In car dn train pipe couplers, the combination of coupler heads having counterpart projections and intersections on the V2li adjacent faces `thereof to prevent relative "rerticalandA lateral movement, projecting interlocking coupling devices to prevent lon- ,gitudinalmovemend cooperating means on the coupling devices andthe coupler heads for partially alining the coupier heads before the adjacent faces meet and before the said counterpart. projections and intersections cooperate, and an air connection on eachcoupler head adapted to form an airl its companion coupler head.

5. In a car'coupler, the combination with l' aif'coupler heajdv provided with an air con; nection, of a coupling device carried there- 40'fby adapted to cooperate with a similar coul pling device on a companion coupler head l also pro/ided with an air connection, means indepen'` ent of said coupling device for i interlcking'the said coupler heads against i j l r vertlcal and lateral movement, said means I comprising a pin projecting from the for l ward facesof each of said couplerheads and l adapted to register with an opening on each adapted to aline the said coupler hea s priorl to the Contactl of the air connections and to lock said heads with respect to relative lateral and vertical movement during the contact of the air connections.V

6. In car andtrain pipe couplers, thecombination of hollowv4 coupler heads having counterpart projections and intersections on the adjacent faces thereof to prevent relative vertical and lateral movement, proj ect-ing interlocking coupling devices to prevent longitudinal movement, and aline the coupler heads before the adjacent faces' meet and before the said counterpart projections and intersections cooperate, andan air connection on each coupler head adapted to form an air tight joint with a similarair connection on its companion coupler head.

7. In a car coupler, the combination with coupler heads each` provided with an air connection, of .coupling devices in each of said heads adapted to coperate for intel'-y locking the coupler heads against relative longitudinal movement Whenv in coupling' relation, means independent of said cou? pling devices, comprising cylindrical `pins p having conical forward extremities, one to' each head, projecting fromthe forward face of each of said coupler heads and being adapted to register with an opening on the forward face of its coperating head, and

. interlock' said heads with lrespect to relay tive vertical and laterall movement during the contact of the --airl connections.

In testimony Whereo'f I have signed my 'name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 6th day of November A. D. 1911. v

CHARLES H. TOMLINSON. W itnesses:

A. L. SPRINKLE, 

